Nutritional status of the adolescent in an orphaned state or social risk

Abstract

Background: There is relatively little regional literature on nutritional status in orphaned adolescents or social risk. Objective: To characterize the nutritional status of institutionalized orphan adolescents in community homes. Material and methods: Study carried out in a community center that included 30 orphaned adolescents housed in 15 homes evaluated anthropometrically, as well as determination of physical activity (PAQ-A) in the period of May 2017. Results: The mean age was 15.3 years (+/-: 2.13; R: 12-18.9); the most frequent group was 16-18.9 years 16/30 (53.4%). Sex was female in 16/30 (53.3%) and male in 14/30 (46.7%), without gender differences (p> 0.05). They were classified as chronic undernourished 4/30 (13.4%). Deficiency in the intake of at least one macronutrient was found in 24/30 (80%) adolescents, three macronutrients in 16/30 (53.3%), two macronutrients in 6/30 (20%), one in 2/30 (6.7 %). Deficiency in carbohydrate intake was identified in 15/30 (50%) cases and fat in 8/30 (26.7%) as well as excess fat intake in 15/30 (50%) adolescents and in 5/30 (20 %) of carbohydrates. A negative energy balance was determined in 22/23 (95.7%) adolescents. Percentage of the deficit in the caloric supply ranged between 5-40% of the group studied. Conclusion: The incidence of chronic undernutrition is similar to that reported by other research conducted in orphanages, as well as the negative caloric balance, however deficiencies in macronutrient intake that cover most of the adolescents studied have particular characteristics that merit individualized design of educational interventions at all levels in the institution.